There are many pipe-bending apparatus in the industries for various applications such as for manufacturing large quantities of pipes in a factory or producing smaller quantities in a machine shop or bending a few pipes needed for repair jobs at job site. Also, different pipe-bending apparatus have different features such as utilizing manual, electrical, or hydraulic powers. Some prior arts of pipe-bending apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,355,528, 4,926,672, 5,469,730, and 5,499,521, etc.
The prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,528 includes a pressing block for pressing the pipe against the bending shoe, and a long handle attached to the pressing block for rotating the pressing block around the bending shoe for bending the pipes. The long handle, as also required in many other prior arts, demands a bigger operating space, which may not always be available.
The prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,672 has a bending shoe installed on a stand and a handle attached to the bending shoe. By applying force to the handle and rotate the bending shoe, the pipe is bent. However, the portion of the pipe supported by the stand is being dragged and sliding on the stand, creating localized stress on the pipe resulting in deformation or surface damage to the pipe.
The present invention of pipe-bending apparatus includes several features that are different and improved from the prior arts. Benefits from these features will be shown by the detailed description of the present invention thereafter.